Sara Sidle Out
by katyrye
Summary: Sara somehow finds herself the victim of a human trafficking ring. D.B calls Gil. HARD M ( this story is NOT for everyone) GSR, VIOLENCE
1. One

**Author: **Katyrye **Title**: Sara Sidle Out **Characters**: Gil G, Sara S, D.B R, Nick S, Greg G, and Hodges. **Rated:** HARD M **Shipping**: GSR **DISCLAIMER**… come on.. it is

~()~

"You know," Sara Sidle said as she walked with D.B Russell into the ballroom of the glamorous Hotel Ricardo. "I still don't see why you asked me to come tonight."

"Well," answered D.B. "My wife is in Seattle and Jules is busy. Besides, you don't get out too much." After a pause he asked. "Did Grissom take you out?"

Sara smiled to herself as they walked. "Gil did take me out," she replied with a nod." We are both the homebound type though."

"I see," D.B said with a smile.

Truthfully, D.B thought that Sara was good company. He had always admired her tenacity, mind, and strength. They also had something in common; they were in long distance relationships and had marriages that needed work. Regardless of all this, she was an amazing woman. In Sara's mind, she was thinking the same think about D.B. His supervising techniques were drastically different when compared to Gil's, but his charm brought a new life into the lab. When D.B had asked her to accompany him to work-related function her first instinct was to decline, but D.B wasn't the one to have ulterior motives in regards to employees.

"Fancy," Sara remarked, nodding towards the flower arrangements. "They are going all out."

The ballroom was decorated with expensive looking flowers and a model of the city. They did not know how much money the city forked out for this kind of event, but it could have been better spent elsewhere.

D.B agreed. "They are trying impress some high rollers," they stopped and D.B pulled out a chair. "I believe this is where we sit."

Sara chuckled at his chivalry and took a seat. She let her eyes wander around the room. She had expected to see Brass or maybe Ecklie, but so far she just noticed people she was acquainted with. D.B took his seat across from her and they both looked to see what was on the menu that night.

Sara raised her eyebrows. "You can have my fish," she remarked.

D.B nodded. "Thank you for your generosity," he said, turning in his seat to scope the room. "I see the new judge is here."

Sara followed his line of sight. "I see," she agreed.

An awkward silence soon followed, but D.B wanted to take this time to get to know his co-worker better. Not in a romantic way, but friendly. Sara was a closed book and he wanted to respect that as best as could.

"Sara, can you tell me how you met Gil?" he asked daringly.

Sara scoffed softly and smiled to herself. "Did you ask me here to try and pry?" she inquired.

D.B shook his head. "No," he said. "Not at all. If you don't want to talk then I will respect that. However, we are both going through a lot and we should try to lean on one another a little."

Sara cocked her eyebrows, but began her short story. "I first met Gil when I worked in San Francisco," she told. "He was giving seminars that were part of the continuing education. He was already respected as an entomologist," she paused and took a short breath. "I was always answering his questions. So much in fact that he gave me a limit on questions asked and answered."

D.B nodded approvingly of her tale. "That sounds like you," he said. "I can see that passion for knowledge."

Sara continued. "He brought me here to help him because he was in a bind. I thought it would be an opportunity to work with him and it was."

"Professionally and otherwise?" D.B asked.

Sara nodded. "Yes," she said. "I wouldn't trade it for anything."

D.B agreed. "Sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice by coming here," he said. "It takes a strain."

Sara agreed. "It does," she said.

Their food arrived and they both fell back on mindless chatter regarding work. Talk about their marriages fell to the back of their minds. They mingled with a few guests, but wanted to make each visit as short as possible. In the middle of the judge's speech, whose name was Milton as they learned, Sara excused herself.

"Don't abandon me," she joked.

"Not on your life," D.B whispered back.

~()~

Sara stood at the bathroom sink and looked at her reflection. All that talk about Gil and marriage pained her. She hadn't spoken to her husband in months and did not know where they stood. Friendly text messages and emails were exchanged, but she had her regrets. Like D.B, Sara also wondered if she had made the right choice regarding her career and life with Gil. She still loved him passionately, but she was at a crossroads.

"If only you knew how much I missed you" she whispered to the mirror as if Gil could somehow hear her through it.

She was dressed elegantly tonight and she wished Gil was there to see her. It had been a long time since she had been to an event with her husband and her heart ached for him. She was wearing a dainty lavender dress that he had seen her in many times before and it was his favorite. A shuffle behind her caused her to turn. She thought she had been alone in the bathroom. Quickly she dabbed her eyes and smoothed her hair. Soon, crying could be heard from the second stall down. Sara chewed her lip, contemplated on checking on the girl, and her sensitivity won out.

"Are you alright?" Sara asked, walking over cautiously to knock on the stall door.

When no answer came she decided to go back to the event. I wasn't her business and she shouldn't pry. However, the sobs became louder and Sara wondered if something was wrong. She looked under the stall door and noticed a pair of muddy, bloodied feet. She stood quickly and tried the door.

"My name is Sara," she said. "I am here to help. Open the door."

Sara strained her ears for a response, but none came. She stooped to her hands and knees and peered under the door, straining her neck for a better look. The woman in the stall looked to be no older than twenty-five. Her hair was long and matted. It was obvious that she hadn't eaten well or bathed in a while. Her legs were covered in mud and blood ran down from between her legs. She looked at Sara with wet, glassy eyes.

"I am a CSI," she said, taking out her phone to text D.B. "You're safe now."

She hadn't heard anyone else enter the restroom, but by the time she had realized she wasn't alone it was too late. A booted foot sent the phone sliding across the bathroom floor. It hit the wall with a smack and Sara quickly raised her hands to protect her face. A gloved hand reached down and grabbed her by the neck. She felt a sharp volt in the back of her neck and the lights went out.

The end of Judge Milton's speech proved to be the end of the function. D.B glanced around the ballroom for Sara, but she was nowhere to be seen. He took a quick glance at his phone, but saw he had no message. He stood and made a beeline for the restrooms. There was a line, but he pushed his way to the front, despite protests.

"Sara!" D.B called, pulling out his phone.

He dialed Sara's number, heard a ring, and followed the chime to the women's bathroom. He looked around for the noise and finally his eyes landed on the floor. He picked up the phone, noticing a crack in the screen. A tap on his shoulder made him turn.

"This is the ladies room," a large, busty woman in a black dressed said.

D.B held up his hand. "And I am looking for a woman," he said, pulling up a picture of Sara on his phone. "Have you seen this woman? She is an employee with the Las Vegas PD."

~()~

"Let's go over this one more time," Greg Sanders said as he shined his flashlight around the floor. "Sara came into this restroom, but did not come out."

D.B nodded. "I doubt she pulled a Houdini on me," he said. "Something is wrong. I found her phone right here. We can try to swab, but this is an extremely high traffic area. When I worked my way back here to find her there was a line."

Greg began opening the stall doors one by one. "Did anyone see anything? Hear anything?"

D.B shook his head. "I showed her photo, but no one has seen her," he said. "Or has not admitted to seeing her."

Greg looked at the older man and raised an eyebrow. "What were you doing here with her?" he asked.

"Look, I know what you may be thinking," he said in his defense. "Sara and I were here to discuss our marriages. It is something we have in common and it was strictly platonic."

Greg nodded as he opened the second to last stall. He shined his light on the floor and saw dark brown smears. His first thought was fecal matter, but this was fancy venue.

"D.B, look at this," he said, kneeling and taking a cotton swab out of a breast pocket. "Surely it isn't defecation?"

D.B scratched the mess with a gloved finger. He brought it to his nose and sniffed. "Take it to Hodges," he said.

~()~

Sara opened her eyes and squinted until her vision stopped swimming. The first thing she focused on was a boarded window. She could tell that it was early morning by the faint light that crept through the cracks. She slowly sat up, causing the springs of the rusty bed she was laying on to sing. A sharp pain radiated through her head and she pressed her hand firmly to the wound on her head. She swung her feet to the floor and noticed two important factors. One was that her shoes were gone and the second was that her ankles were chained to the bed post. She jerked her legs, causing the chains to rattle loudly.

"Shhh," said female voice. "He'll come."

Sara strained her eyes to see. "Who?" she asked, tasting blood in her mouth. "Who will come?"

The voice did not answer right away and Sara caught herself wondering if she had imagined it. Then, she heard another set of chains rattle in the dark. How many people were in the same room with her?

"The man," the voice said in a panic. "you have to be quiet."

Sara held out her hand to feel for someone, anyone. Her hand landed on a rough, grimy foot. It was soon jerked away.

"My name is Sara Sidle," she said. "I work for the Las Vegas crime lab. Tell me where I am."

"You're his now," another female voice said. "It doesn't matter where we are because nobody knows."

Sara became inquisitive. " Are you the woman I found in the bathroom?" She asked.

No answer came so she reached out her hand again. She felt along the wall and this time she found a lamp. She clicked it on and light flooded the room. It brought a sharp pain to her eyes, but she ignored it and looked around the room. There were six beds in the room and they were all occupied with women. They all looked young and small. Every female occupant had long stringy hair and looked emaciated. At first, Sara could not speak. Then she found her voice and spoke with purpose.

"How long have you been here?" she asked.

~()~

"The substance you found in the bathroom was a mixture of mud and blood from a female contributor," Hodges said, handing D.B a manila folder.

D.B put down Sara's phone. He felt as if somehow he was responsible for her disappearance. They were supposed to be having a carefree evening, but instead it turned south. His mind raced with different scenarios about what had happened to her. None of them were good.

Hodges continued. "I wasn't able to isolate where the mud came from, but with the texture I'd say it is a clay based mud"

D.B nodded and stood. "Who does Sara have listed as her next of kin?" he asked.

Hodges stared at the man for a beat, but snapped back to reality. "You have to check with human resource, but I am guessing it is still Grissom," he said.

D.B sighed. "This isn't an ideal way to introduce myself to the man," he said.

Hodges stopped D.B as he tried to walk away. "Are you calling Grissom?" he asked.

"I have to," D.B replied. "Sara is still his wife."

~()~

Sara tried to sleep, but it never came. She racked her brain for possibilities as to where she was or what was going to happen to her. She did not get much information out of the other girls. Too much time had passed for most of them and she saw no clocks or calendars. The only way she could tell time was by seeing the light through the tiny slits in the windows. A shrill air horn brought her from her thoughts and she sat up in a hurry. Her eyes were wide and her heart began to pound. The other women all got off their beds and stood at the foot. Sara slowly did the same, not wanting to find out what happened if you disobeyed. The door opened and two men walked in. The quickly walked over to Sara and each man grabbed an arm.

Sara kicked out. "Let me go!" she grunted as one man unlocked her chain. "I work for the Las Vegas crime lab and you're making a huge mistake."

No one stopped to respond as she was dragged from the room. She was pulled into a foyer where her dress was immediately stripped off. She tried to be modest and cover her breasts, but it was clear these men were not after sex. A third man appeared with a hose and blasted her with frigid, cold water. Sara grunted and struggled, but her captors held her firmly. One of the men, she was not sure which, slapped her in the face. Her cheek stung and she felt fresh blood trickle down her lip.

"Fighting will not make this easier for you," he said.

She stood still as the men bathed her, rubbing their coarse hands all over her body. The way they treated her, it was as if it were systematic; like they had done it a million times before. One man opened her mouth and checked her teeth like she was a horse for breeding purposes.

"She is older," a man with a thick beard said. "but she'll do fine. She is strong and will last."

Sara was thrown an armful of clean clothes and she quickly dressed, not wanting to risk angering her guards. A young nurse walked in when she was finished dressing. She looked Sara over and handed her a pill.

"What is this?" Sara asked.

"Contraceptive," the nurse responded robotically.

Sara raised her eyebrows and thrust the pill back. "There is no way I am taking that," she said.

Without warning one of her guards pressed her cheeks between his fingers, forced her mouth open, and crammed the pill in. Sara attempted to spit it out, but her mouth and nose were held closed until she had no choice. She forced herself to dry swallow and when she was done the man with the mustache examined her mouth and gave a nod. The men brought her into the hallway to stand in line with the other girls. Sara's eyes widened as she finally realized where she was and what was happening to her.

"I'm their new merchandise," Sara thought to herself.

~()~

D.B turned to Nick and Greg. "This is the last place and time I saw Sara," he said, circling an area on the room layout. "It was at the end of Judge Milton's speech and she excused herself to use the restroom."

Nick approached the map. "The venue has an exit," he said. "we are in the process of having Brass get a warrant for their security cameras."

Greg stepped up in line. "Sara wouldn't just run off," he said. "and her phone was found. Did anyone find a purse?"

D.B shook his head. "No purse was recovered," he said. "It was black and had a strap. We'll go back to the venue and check the grounds."

Nick gave a curt nod. "I'll go," he said. "You stay here and wait. Greg, go see if Hodges has had any luck pinpointing a location of that mud."

D.B watched the two men walk away and sighed. The clock was ticking for Sara and they had nothing but mud smears to go on. He entered his office and sat down behind his desk, taking out Sara's phone. He tapped the home button and saw a butterfly wallpaper lighten the screen. The phone asked for a passcode, but he did not know what it was.

"It's been fourteen hours, Sara," he said. "Give me something."

~()~

Nick Stokes put his hands on the side of the dumpster and hoisted himself over. His feet landed on crumpled boxes and plastic containers that had once been for food. A thick, musty smell floated up, but he worked through it. He kneeled down and began to toss boxes to the side.

"May I help you?" Nick heard an annoyed voice ask.

Nick stood and spotted a short, bald man with a mustache. Nick pasted on his smile and hoisted back out of the dumpster.

"Nick Stokes," he said, extending his hand. "Las Vegas PD."

The bald man nodded. "I see," he said, accepting Nick's outstretched hand. "Carl Bindy."

"Mr. Bindy, a CSI has gone missing on the premises. No one appears to have seen or heard anything, which I think is a load of horse shit," Nick said.

Carl Bindy held up his hands in defense. "I want you to know that the hotel will cooperate in any way. Last night was just a banquet for city officials. Security was heavy and there is no way someone would get out undetected."

Nick did not agree. "Someone did," he said. "Mind if I go through your trash? It is plain view so I can without a warrant."

Nick did not wait for a response, but instead braced his hands against the side of the dumpster once again. He was preparing to resume the search when a metal barrel caught his attention. The outside was blackened, as if someone had intentionally started a fire.

"Mr. Bindy," Nick asked. "What happened here?"

Nick walked over to the barrel, took a photo of it, and slid the lid off. It landed to the ground with a clunk and the smell of burning rubble filled his nostrils. Inside he saw nothing but ash, but poked around anyway.

"Sir," Nick said, lifting out the charred remains of a black purse. "If this is my friend's purse there is going to be hell to pay."

~()~

The door to the main hallway opened and Sara stood on shaky legs. She knew that illegal sex trafficking rings were in Las Vegas, but she was still in shock that one had found her. She was usually the one to investigated these crimes, now a crime was about to be committed against her.

"Stand straight," a drill sergeant-like voice boomed.

The girls straightened up and Sara looked around at them. No one appeared to be as afraid as she was and she took this as a sign that a majority of these girls have been here for years. Mostly they looked exhausted.

"You go," a man said, snapping his fingers in the face of a short girl, who looked to be no older than fifteen.

The girl lowered her head, but did not object. She walked around him and disappeared into a bedroom, wear a man wearing an expensive suit followed her. As her captors made their ways down the line, Sara's heart began to beat faster. She wanted to remain tough and rock solid, but she was beginning to crumble. Finally, it was her turn. Mustache lifted her chin and studied her eyes.

"What about this one?" he called to someone behind him.

"Judge Milton," the voice answered back.

Mustache grabbed her by the back of her neck and keyed open a door to his left. Sara struggled, but only as much as she was allowed. The man gave her a shake and proceeded to drag her to a metal-framed bed. He unclasped a chain, hooked an ankle bracelet around her leg, and clasped it shut. He took her arm in his hand and looked at her veins.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a scared whisper.

Mustache dug his nails into Sara's wrist and pulled her close. "It is better for you if you do not ask questions," he said as he pulled out a rubber band to tie above her elbow. "I can tell you are going to be a problem here and problems do not last long."

Sara saw the needle pierce her skin and fluid pumped into her arm. She tried to pull away, but Mustache was strong. It didn't take too long for the walls around her to start to move and her breathing became light.

"This will calm you for him," Mustache said, standing and waving a man into the room.

Sara felt herself lay back and she wondered what she was doing. Her brain screamed and it urged her to move, but nothing responded the way it was supposed to. She swiveled her eyes to the door as Judge Milton walked in. When the door closed behind him, he took of his Armani jacked and laid it over a chair. Sara was horrified at how delicate he treated his coat, but was careless as to how he was about to treat her.

"I hope you don't think I am some kind of animal," he said, unclasping his cuff links.

"You're a bastard," Sara tried to slur, but nothing audible omitted from her lips.

"We've met before," he said as he unlaced his shoes and set them to the side with his coat. "It was before I was a judge. I was a lawyer. I believe that you were one of the acting CSI's that was working for the city."

Sara could not respond so he continued. "Not that I planned this," he said. "It is just a coincidence. How is your husband by the way?"

Sara opened her eyes and for some reason felt hope at the mention of her husband. "Griss-," she managed to say.

The judge was naked now and Sara tried to tear her eyes away. It was a disgusting and unimaginable sight, but fear kept her docile. She slammed her eyes closed and started to whisper to herself as she felt her clothes removed.

"Gil," she said in her mind. "It's Gil."

For a brief moment she thought it may actually be Gil if she opened her eyes. Gil was always gentle with her, but this man was rough and did not respect that she was sensitive in some areas. Instead of Gil's loving fingers exploring her womanly area, it was a rough, alien hand that she did not know. Somehow she was able to move her hips away, but a strong hand came down on her abdomen.

"Stay still," he said with no compassion.

Sara felt the man straddle her and again, wanted so badly to imagine that it was Gil. She prayed that when she opened her eyes, she would see her husband looking down at her. A tear slid down her cheek and as the man raped her she thought one last thing.

"It isn't Gil," she said. To herself.

~()~

Gil Grissom had not been to the Las Vegas crime lab in years, but when he walked in he felt as if nothing had changed. There was a new receptionist, but she seemed to smile at Grissom as he walked in. As if she knew exactly who he was and why he was there. Looking for D.B Russell was not going to be too hard. He knew where his old office was.

"Grissom?" Gil heard behind him and recognized the voice immediately as Greg Sanders.

"Greg," Gil said, grabbing Greg's outstretched hand and giving a pat on the back. "Anything new come in yet?"

"Not yet," Greg replied as the two men began to walk. "Nick found the charred remains of a woman's purse in a barrel outside the hotel. We have it in the evidence room."

Gil nodded. "Good," he said. "Give me a rundown on when she was last seen."

"D.B and Sara attended a function at the hotel for city employees. Sara excused herself to the bathroom, but didn't return," Greg pulled out a plastic bag containing Sara's phone. "D.B found this on the floor. I am about to go back and go over the bathroom again. "

Gil nodded. "I'll go with you," he said. "Ecklie gave me clearance to work this.

Greg was unsure. "Griss, are you sure-," he started.

Gil cut him off. "I am not concerned with anything else" he said. "We need to find her."

**Please review. I am a review whore. **


	2. Two

When the judge left, Sara wanted to roll to her side and curl into a ball, but she was so heavily drugged all she could do was lie there. Around her she saw people moving around. Mustache unchained her legs and hoisted her up. He half-dragged half-carried her into a bathroom that had a row of toilets to the side and a shower nozzle in the middle of the room. A bar of soap dropped in front of her and she eyed it. It was obvious that she was supposed to clean herself.

"Wash up," Mustache said to her.

Sara gripped the soap, but it slipped out of her hand. Mustache sighed complainingly and grabbed the bar. He grabbed her hand, forced her to grip it, and turned on the nozzle. As the water ran around her, Sara saw bright red blood flow away. She was numb at the moment, but would no doubt feel the pain soon. She lathered her legs up thickly, hoping to wash away the sounds of the judge grunting above her.

"That's enough," he said after Sara had washed the soap away.

She did not struggle with him, but instead let herself be dragged back to the room she just left. She could see other men in suits talking and she imagined that most were pointing at her. She knew they knew who she was, but she couldn't comprehend why they were not helping her.

"You're popular," Mustache said, chaining her back to the bed.

~()~

D.B was busy spraying luminol on the bathroom floor when Gil walked in. He set down the bottle, took off his gloves, and extended his hand to the man.

"D.B Russell," he said as Gil shook his hand. "I want you to know we're doing everything we can to find Sara."

Gil did not reply, but took the UV light out of D.B's back. "Ready?" he asked.

The two men slipped on pairs of glasses and snapped the light off. They trained the black light in the stall where the mud was found and they saw definite smudges of white. Gil swabbed a few separate areas, took photos, and bagged the evidence.

"This may just be the blood we already have," D.B commented. "And not to mention this is restroom in a popular hotel."

Gil raised his eyebrows. "I am not worried about having too much evidence," he said. "I am more concerned that we don't have enough."

The two men stood and panned across the room. On the nearest wall a glimpse of white caught Gil's eye and he stopped to swab it. He leaned over slightly as he did so, checking along the baseboards. It was there in a tiny crack, between the wall and the baseboard, that he found a hair. D.B, who had been observing, pulled open an evidence bag for him.

"Have Greg take those to Hodges," he said. "Tell him to open Sara's locker and compare it to the hairs in her comb."

~()~

"Fuck!" Brass said as he stormed back to his office, kicking a trash can as he passed. "Damn it."

He put his hands on his face and tried to will depression out of his mind. When he had gone to Judge Milton for the warrant signature he thought for sure that he would sign it without question. The new judge did not.

"There isn't enough probable cause," he had said as he took of his robes and hung them up gently.

Brass could not believe his ears. "Are you telling me that the found cellular phone of a missing CSI is not enough?" he pounded his fist on the desk. "Tell me then what is? When we find her body?"

The judge remained calm. "Hopefully it will not come to that," he said.

~()~

At the end of the day Sara was chained back onto her bed in The Sleeping Room. The pain between her legs started and she tried to block from memory how many men visited her. Each man smelled the same and pawed at her the same. Each time a session ended she was hosed off and drugged again. Around her the other girls looked tired, but had somehow found it in them to primp or read. She knew that it was a type of normalcy for them, but this phenomenon was not normal for her.

"You have a husband?" the girl beside her asked.

Sara looked to her right and nodded. "Yeah" she replied.

"I'm Amber," the girl replied. "How did you get here?"

Sara shook her head. "I don't know," she said. "I was at a function with my supervisor. When I went to the bathroom I heard a girl crying. I tried to help her, but when I turned my head… someone hit me."

Amber looked down. "That was Beth," she said. "You took her place."

Sara swallowed a lump in her throat. If she had taken Beth's place then that only meant that girl she found had been killed or moved to another facility. Sara hoped for the latter because she could not imagine someone wanting to live like this.

Amber looked down and continued talking. "I was hitchhiking," she said. "The Mustache man pulled up and was friendly. I got in and… woke up here."

Sara noticed how innocent and shy the girl looked. "How old are you?" she asked.

"Seventeen," the girl replied. "I am from Maine."

Sara was shocked. "Maine," she repeated. "Where were you when you were taken?"

Amber looked guilty. "Where am I now?" she asked.

Sara realized that she did not know for sure. "I was taken from Nevada. I don't think we are too far because... some of the men here now who I am."

Amber looked confused. "Who are you?" she asked.

Sara grew quiet. "I am nobody now," she said.

~()~

Ecklie waved Gil over to him and the two men sat down. He handed Gil a cup of coffee and noticed that his old co-worker looked exhausted. The again, exhausted was a gross understatement.

"You came straight here from the airport?" Ecklie inquired.

Gil nodded. "Yes," he said. "We can't waste any time."

Ecklie felt Gil's pain. In the past he hadn't understood Sara, but since her return to Las Vegas she was a different woman. She was stronger and he appreciated working with her.

"You can't help find her if you can't stand up," Ecklie said. "Go get some rest."

Gil started to shake his head. "I can't," he said. "I can't rest while she's out there. I don't know what she is going through."

Brass entered the room and poured himself a cup of coffee. "I was listening in and I agree," he said. "Gil you can't run on empty after getting off an international flight. If you want to help Sara you need to have fresh eyes."

Gil wanted to argue, but he knew the men were right. He felt useless for not being there for his wife. He felt as if he were watching from the sidelines and waiting for her corpse to turn up. If something happened to her then he would never forgive himself.

"Alright," he said, reluctantly.

~()~

Gil hadn't been to Sara's new house in a while, but he knew where the key was kept. He debated sleeping here, but he realized that he needed to be surrounded by her. It was a fact that he never did stop loving her, but he wanted her to have a full and active life. Not a life where she waited on grants to be funded. As he neared the porch he parted the bushes to the side of the house. He pushed mulch to the side and pulled out a fake rock. A shake of the rock told him the key was still there so he palmed it and keyed into the house. The moment he walked in, he was hit with the smell of Sara. She was everywhere and it was all he could do not opt for a hotel room.

"_This is your home too," _Sara had said during his last visit. _"You're not a guest here. You're my husband."_

Indeed he was still her husband. They hadn't technically filed for divorce, but it had been going that way. Not because they didn't love each other, but because he loved her too much and he couldn't bear being away from her anymore. He wanted her to be happy and so he decided to let her go. It seemed to come as a shock to Sara.

"_I want to fight for us, Gil"_ She had said. _"We've been through too much to stop now."_

"_Sara, we don't even live together anymore," _he had replied to her plea. _"I thought we were through with that part of our lives." _

"_I thought I was too," _She said.

Gil had given up. _"Sara I can't keep… waiting for you to come back to me,"_ he had explained. _"If I can't really have you then what is the point of all this. I know your mother needs you, but so do I."_

That had been the last time they had spoken and in retrospect, Gil would have told her how much she meant to him and they would have found a way to work it out. Being without her in the same country was heavenly compared to being without her in life; if her soul was gone then his would be too.

~()~

Sara walked with the other girls into the shared bathroom. To the right of the room she noticed the row of toilets she saw earlier and along the other wall she spotted a row of sinks. In the middle of the room hung the extendable shower head that she had been hosed off with earlier. She put her head down and scurried over to use a toilet. She tried to pull down her shirt for modesty, but the other girls were so desensitized that they did not care.

"You get used to it," Amber said when she saw Sara's expression.

Sara shook her head. "No one should get used to this." she said.

She took a handful of toilet paper and carefully wiped herself down. She was still tender and she winced as she wiped. She looked around the bathroom and tried to find a window or something that told her the time of day. There was nothing but a steel grate that ran along the baseboards.

"Food," Mustache said, bringing bags of fast food into the bathroom.

Sara was handed a bag, but stared down at it. It wasn't that she was a picky eater, but she hadn't had meat in years. Soon it was snatched away and Sara looked up to see Thick Beard glaring at her.

"If you don't want it then don't eat it," he said, keeping the bag and walking away.

Sara pushed her hair behind her ears and walked out of the bathroom, pausing to gaze at the grate near the floor. Were they in all the rooms? Where did they go? Thinking of this, she walked back into The Sleeping Room. There, across from her bed, she saw an old metal grate. She paused to look down at it and wondered how long it would take to unscrew the screws with her fingers.

~()~

Hodges looked at the hairbrush that Greg had given him and he felt melancholy. He had always liked Sara and now he felt that it was his duty to put all of her samples on the front-burner. With his tweezers he plucked a single hair from her brush, slid it onto a slide, and put it under the microscope. Under microscopic comparison, they looked the same. However, he wanted to be thorough. He measured the diameters of each hair and when he saw they were a match, he paged D.B. He then turned to the blood collected at the scene. Luckily, Sara's blood was in CODIS from her run in with Natalie Davis. All he had to do was run the samples and hope for a match.

"You paged?" D.B said as he walked in.

Hodges turned. "Yes," he said in a rush. "The hair fiber Grissom brought back to me was a match to Sara. I am running the blood now," he paused and then added. "Surely this will be enough for a warrant."

D.B nodded and raised his eyebrows. "But Milton isn't the only judge," he said. "I'll just work around him."


	3. Three

Hey guys. How are you? I hope that you are able to enjoy this story somewhat. Review if you have time. I love feedback. Also, I submitted a story in screenplay form for a fix GSR challenge. If you have time give it a peek. I need to have it done by the premiere night and I sort of pulled it out of nose. ~ Katy

~()~

Hodges discovered that samples of blood taken from the hotel's bathroom did indeed match Sara's profile. Instead of going to Judge Milton, Brass instead went to an older judge named Anderson. When the detective presented the evidence a warrant was signed right away without question.

"I don't like Milton," Judge Anderson stated when Brass spoke of his failure to secure a warrant. "People say he's a Meat Eater."

"Corrupt?" Brass said, raising his eyebrows. "That doesn't surprise me. I get the creeps just being around the guy."

Once the signed warrant was in hand, Brass took it to The Hotel Ricardo to present it to Carl Bindy in his office. He seemed surprised, but asked security to turn over the footage from the night of Sara's disappearance. When Brass was handed a stack of video tapes he looked at Bindy puzzled.

"You ever heard of a flash drive?" he asked. "Do you know how long it will take to go through these?'

Bindy shrugged. "We can't afford the high tech stuff," he said.

Brass raised an eyebrow. "I seriously doubt it," he said as he opened one of the cases to check for the presence of a cassette. What he saw angered him and he looked up at Bindy with fury in his eyes. "What in God's name is this?"

Bindy peered over into the cassette box. "Looks like heat damage," he said. "Is it ruined?"

Brass snapped the case closed with an angry release of air. "No," he said. "My friends have cool toys."

~()~

When the lights went out on her first day in captivity, Sara rose softly off to the bed. She tried her best to keep the springs from singing as she put both feet on the cold floor, but a soft squeak could be heard regardless. Her body was still suffering all the effects of being heavily drugged and the juncture between her legs ached furiously. Despite all of this, she knew that she had to find a way out. Being as silent as she could, she lifted the chain off the bed and walked as far as her restraint would let her. She kneeled, set the chain down quietly, and stretched out her body until she touched the wall. As she felt for the metal grate, she wondered what would happen if the door blew open and Mustache or Thick Beard found her outstretched trying to make a daring escape. When she felt the cool metal she stopped and felt along the edges until she was able to count four screws that were caked in dirt. Angry voices booming from the next room caused her to freeze with fear.

"What was I supposed to do?" Mustache asked angrily. "I couldn't let them both get away."

"That would have been better than this," another voice replied. "Bringing that woman here could bring the house down on top of us. Do you know what kinds of clients we have? She can put us all at risk."

Sara's eyes widened and she slowly started to scoot back to her bed. So it was Mustache who had found her trying to help Beth. She understood perfectly why she had been brought her. They were covering up their tracks. Now, she posed a threat. What did they do to threats around here? Certainly not keep them as pets.

"We could just get rid of her," Mustache said in a lower voice. "Dump her body far from her. There is also the incinerator."

Sara reached the bed where she laid down as quickly and as quietly as possible. She imagined that at any moment the door would fly open and Mustache would finish her off. Her heart pounded and her breath quickened and for a moment she realized that the hope of escape was better than death.

"We'll have to wait," the unknown voice said. "She's being looked for. Her husband is some big shot scientist and Milton said a detective was poking around."

"_Brass_," Sara thought, feeling a pang of hope. "_They're looking for me._"

"Well," Mustache replied. "I don't give a fuck who married her. When the time comes I'll take pleasure in strangling the bitch."

"Don't jump the gun," the unknown voice replied. "We may need her. Milton said the husband flew into assist in her search. She could be a good distraction."

"_Gil,"_ Sara thought. _"He came. He's here trying to find me."_

Sara heard heavy boots walk away, a door closed, and a lock tumbled. When she was satisfied that they were gone she stole silently back to the grate. She tried not to give herself false hope that Gil and Brass would find her. She knew that if she did not hold up her end then she would die. As she worked to loosen the screws, she imagined Gil finding her and her running into his arms. She would leave Las Vegas with him and never look back. This place was never going to be home anymore. Instead of focusing on her situation, she let her thoughts drift to thoughts of Gil and the life she could begin again with him if she escaped. All through the night Sara worked her fingers until they were bloodied and numb. She worked on loosening the four screws until sunlight streamed in through the cracks of the boarded up window.

~()~

"_Gilbert,"_ Sara's husky voice said into his ear. _"I need you"_

"Sara!" Gil said aloud as he snapped his eyes open.

He sat up quickly and looked around Sara's bedroom in a delirious state. He put his hands over his face and rubbed the matter out of his eyes. The voice whispering in his ear had been so audible and so real that he expected to turn and find his wife lying beside him. Slowly he looked over his shoulder and gazed at the place where Sara would have been.

"_Make love to me, Gilbert," _She would say, teasing him with the usage of his first name.

Of course he would have without hesitation and when his body was connected to hers it felt right. It had felt right since the very first time they were together. Their relationship had blossomed when Ecklie had broken up the team. He had leaned on Sara for support and friendship, but it hadn't taken long for it to turn into something more. It was a fact that he had always loved her. It was why he kept his distance from her in the beginning. He knew a relationship was inevitable.

"My Sara," he said softly. At that moment fury washed over him. "We'll find you."

~()~

Nick and Greg carefully pulled the film out each damaged video cassette and stretched it out on the lit evidence table. As careful as possible, each man cut out each frame. It was a tedious process, but they both worked as fast as they would allow themselves. When they had salvaged a majority of the film, they soaked them in a special solution and Archie wheeled in a giant scanner that was wirelessly linked to his laptop. For hours they scanned in each frame and watched as Archie did his best to lighten, darken, and tweak each one.

"Only a few types of business still use video tape," Archie said as he scanned. "seedy underground businesses and businesses that are never meant to be found."

Nick stooped to look over his shoulder. "And what type are we dealing with?" he asked.

Archie cocked his eyebrows. "Both," he said. "if you want me to be honest."

~0~

Sara had let herself doze before her new day in hell began, but she honestly could not sleep knowing what kinds of horrors the day held for her. As soon as the door opened to The Sleeping Room Sara jerked and rose to stand at then of her bed. In her mind she was fighting this horrible cruelty against her, but her body was obeying because she wanted to live long enough to attempt to carry out her plan.

"Turn," Mustache barked at the girls.

Sara watched and followed suit. The whole house was run like a military camp. There were many ways that someone could learn to run an operation in that way. Sara filed that information away in her brain for future use. Mustache eyeballed her with hate as she past and she knew that he would gladly kill her if he was allowed.

"Don't look at me," he barked at her.

Sara quickly and obediently looked down and followed the other girls into the large bathroom. The nurse from yesterday was looking each girl over and handing out pills. When she reached Sara she tried to smile, but Sara glared back. How could someone feign friendship in such a place?

"What is this?" Sara demanded as the pill was placed in her palm.

""Plan B," the nurse replied. "We don't need pregnancies."

The thought of any of these men ejaculating inside of her made her stomach turn and she felt bile rise inside of her throat. Sara quickly popped the pill, swallowed a pull of water, and opened her mouth to prove she that had taken it. She had been given birth control the previous day, but it was a big possibility that these women had many different types of contraceptives floating around inside of them. An air horn sounded and the other women, wearing the clothes they slept in, marched into the hallway without any objection. Sara gulped as each woman filed off to their assigned rooms for the day. When it was Sara's turn Mustache eyed her.

"You know," he said, bending down until he was eye level with her. "A lot of men here want a piece of you. Apparently you've pissed a bunch of people off; if not directly then by proxy."

Sara looked away from him, but he pulled her chin back with his finger. She hated the man with a passion. His breath smelled like oil, garlic, and fish. She wished she could punch him in the nose and feel the bones break under her fist.

'"I hate you," she dared.

Mustache laughed and grabbed behind. "I don't care," he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her into a dirty, dank room.

He chained her legs to the bed and quickly tied the rubber band on her upper arm. He tied it a lot tighter than he should have and laughed at Sara's refusal to flinch. He injected her with the drugs and pulled the rubber band off quickly.

"Have fun," he said. "I picked this man out just for you."

When Mustache walked out Sara let her head thump back onto the bed. When the door closed again Sara expected to see Judge Milton again. Instead, she widened her eyes in surprise. It was obvious that the corruption was thick in this city and if she ever got out alive she would leave and never return. Before her stood the city's district attorney and she recounted the numerous times that she had stood in his office with Gil and Brass. Now she looked at him with hate in her eyes.

"Ms. Sidle," he said, taking his jacket off. "fancy seeing you here."


	4. Four

Nick and Greg were not able to remake a video because of how damaged the film was. Instead they laid each frame out on the table and were able create a timeline based on the time stamps. However, during the time where Sara was said to have disappeared, there had been so much damage that a clear image was hard to create. To the two CSI's, they had no doubt that it had been deliberate.

"What does this look like to you?" Greg asked, swiveling his rolling chair closer to Nick ad extending a magnifying glass.

Nick took it and squinted through the lens. "A leg?" he said.

Greg nodded. "I thought so to," he said. "This was taken at the kitchen exit about thirty minutes after D.B had last seen Sara.

Nick raised his eyebrows. "Is it someone going or some coming?"

Greg set the photo down and picked up another. "This one is taken thirty minutes before Sara vanished," he said, pointing to a blurry image. "the exit was used both times."

~0~

When the district attorney was finished with her, Sara did not speak. She turned her head and looked at the wall as he dressed himself. It disgusted her to realize how careful he was with his outward appearance and how his inward self was revolting. When he had slid on his jacket, Sara realized that she did have one question for him.

"Why me?" Sara asked, keeping her face towards the wall.

Sara waited for an answer and for a moment she thought that she wasn't going to get one. Finally she heard him clear his throat.

"Because I have been embarrassed by CSI's," he answered.

Sara rolled over and willed herself to look at the man who had just taken advantage of her. She couldn't believe that his excuse for rape was that her colleagues had knocked his ego around.

"That's a bullshit excuse," she said.

The man shrugged and left the room. "I had a pleasant time," he said.

~0~

D.B Russell heard a knock and his office door and looked up to see Gil Grissom at the door. He looked more rested, but worry could be seen in the form of wrinkles across his forehead. D.B waved the man in and stepped out from behind the desk.

"I believe this was originally yours," he said, motioning for Gil to have a seat.

Gil took one of the seats in front of the long desk. "I am fine here," he said. "anything new?"

D.B shook his head. "Brass was able to get the video footage but it was damaged. Nick and Greg are working on it now. The scene was released so if we want to go back we'll need a warrant."

Gil tented his fingers and rested his chin on the tips. "It's been nearly two days," he said with sadness behind his voice. "Every moment that goes by is a moment she slips further away."

"That isn't going to happen," D.B said, sure of himself. "Sara is tough. She has more guts than I do."

Gil agreed. "She has iron will," he stated "but she can get rattled. I am worried for her."

D.B took this moment to speak frankly. "You still love her," he said. "Long distance is hard. My wife is in Seattle most of the time."

Gil looked up at the man. "So you know," he said. "I thought she needed to live her life. I thought that maybe I wasn't what she needed right now."

D.B understood. "Women can be confusing," he said.

Despite the moment, Gil let himself chuckle. "They are," he agreed.

The two men grew serious again. "We'll find her," D.B said.

~0~

Sara limped back into The Sleeping Room and groaned as she lowered herself to her bed. She had been visited so many times that she lost count. The only thing that kept her sane was the plan and hope of escape. Her brain tried to drift to thoughts of Gil, but she did not want to relate his image to any part of this place. Gil would be her welcomed sight and she did not want to taint his memory by pining for him or hoping he would rescue her. He was here looking for her, but it was her job to stay alive so that she could get away or be found. She looked over at Amber's bed and saw that the young girl was asleep in a ball. There were streaks of blood trickling down from between her legs. Sara rose and put her hand on the girl.

"Amber," She said. "Let's go wash up."

Sara shook the girl, but she did not respond. A sick feeling washed over her and she choked back a sob. She rolled the girl towards her and saw that her eyes were open and staring. Sara put her hand over her mouth and felt burning tears spill over. She put her two fingers to the Amber's carotid artery and felt no pulse. Anger boiled inside of her as she remembered the conversation they had the night before.

"_Seventeen," _Amber had said.

She looked at the other girls and saw that they too were shaken by Amber's death, but they had more-than-likely seemed to not be disturbed as much as she was. Perhaps they thought that death was a more welcoming possibility than a future in this place. Sara's mind raced as she thought of the multiple reasons that caused the girl's death: overdose, blunt force, shock, asphyxiation, or heart failure. Anything in this house of horrors could have caused her deterioration. Behind her she heard a pair of heavy boots stop in the hall directly in front of the door. Sara looked back to see Thick Beard look in at the dead girl and call for Mustache. He walked to retrieve something to dispose of the body with and Sara knew that she had to act. She had to make sure that Amber was not just a lost, unidentified body in Las Vegas. Looking around she noticed a nail sticking out of one of the boards in the window. She reached over, drew the nail across her pinkie, lifted up the girl's shirt, and wrote a message. In just a few moments Thick Beard and Mustache appeared and heaved the girl off the bed, thumped her onto an unrolled rug in the hallway, trundled her up, and secured it shut with packing tape.

~0~

It hadn't rained since the night Sara disappeared, but the wind had been blowing. Being hopeful that there was still some useable evidence in the dirt, Gil and Nick went back to the hotel to scan the property. Since the outside area was considered 'in plain view' then it did not require a warrant.

"Careful," Gil said. "Take a picture of anything that looks like it could resemble something useful."

The two men separated and looked over the grounds. Gil worked his way back towards the kitchen exit and stopped to examine the rail. He noticed a smear of brown and pulled a swab out of his vest pocket. He rubbed it slightly and dripped solution on the edge. It turned bright purple and for a moment every possible horrible scenario ran through his head. He imagined an unconscious Sara being carried out the door, her head making contact with the rail.

"Nick, I have blood," Gil called.

"Griss," Gil turned around to look at the younger CSI. "You need to see this. We need to call Brass."

Gil did not feel his feet move, but he knew he was running nonetheless. "Is it her?" he asked.

"Griss..I-," Nick started, but Gil could hear it in his voice that he did not know for sure.

Nick led him to a dumpster that was at the far end of the property. Gil hoisted himself up effortlessly and landed in the middle of the piled garbage. On top was a rolled up carpet with a tell-tale bloodstain. It was wrapped tightly with clear boxing tape as to prevent leakage. Outside the dumpster, Gil heard Nick contacting Brass and D.B. Gil could not stop himself. His better judgment told him that he was tampering with evidence, but his heart screamed the possibility that it was Sara.

"Do you have a knife?" Gil asked.

"Griss…" Nick said sympathetically.

Gil grew louder. "Knife, Nick!"

Nick handed his old supervisor a box cutter and pulled himself inside the dumpster to help the older man; it was a sense of desperation that made them want to unwind the carpet. Gil slide the edge of the blade along the tape and it separated. Nick pulled pieces of it away and dropped it outside the dumpster. Together the two men lifted the rug and began to unroll it. A decay smell poured out at them and they worked through the urge to vomit. Finally, the rug fell away and Gil let out a sigh.

"It isn't her," he said.

When David and Brass arrived they cornered off the scene and waited while David checked the Jane Doe for an estimated time of death. As the young medical examiner lifted up the girl's shirt he stopped and did a double take.

"Um, guys," David called. "You may want to check this out."

Brass and Gil walked over to David and kneeled. They both widened their eyes and stooped for a closer look. On the diaphragm of the victim was a short message scrawled in blood. It looked as if it was done in a hurry and with a shaky hand.

"Judge Milton Knows," David read. "What do you think it means?"

Gil smiled. "Good girl," he said.

~0~

Can you please review? Thank you and have a very good day. Be blessed.

Don't hate. Participate.


	5. Chapter 5

Sara Sidle was outstretched across the floor using the tips of her fingers to slowly loosen the screws in the metal grate. She had managed to unscrew two that were diagonal from each other and she just needed one other before she could slip out. The chains on her ankles were going to be the big problem. She imagined herself waiting until morning and springing on Thick Beard with a rusty nail.

"What are you doing?" One of the young girls asked, crawling to the end of her bed.

Sara looked back. "I am going to get us out of here," she said.

Sara turned back to the grate and continued her efforts. She prayed she wasn't talking nonsense to the young girl and that she would be able to help them. She was much older than the rest of the group and felt protective.

"Can I help?" The girl asked after a long moment.

Sara looked back at her. "Yes," she said. "Wake up the other girls. I have a plan."

~()~

Gil looked through the two-way observation mirror at Judge Milton. It took every ounce of strength that he had not to strangle the man until he gave up everything he knew, but in his heart he knew that it could get Sara killed. So there he stood, watching the man and pursing his lips. Brass entered with a file and took a seat in from of the judge.

"Have you met CSI Sidle?" Brass asked the man nonchalantly.

The judge tried his best to feign reserve, but Gil saw his jaw twitch and he shifted in his chair. His eyes swiveled to the two-way mirror and Gil wondered if the judge could feel his eyes on him.

"I scarcely remember," he said. "Is she the brunette?"

Brass opened the file. "Yes," he replied. "The brunette."

The interrogation room opened and D.B Russell walked in with his own file and took a seat beside Brass. The detective slid a photo of their Jane Doe in front of the judge.

"Do you recognize her?" D.B asked.

Gil watched as Milton picked up the glossy photo and examined it. His jaw was clenched and Gil thought that for a judge he was very transparent.

"I've never seen her before," Milton replied, sliding the photo coolly across the table. "I am here as a courtesy. If this is all you need then I need to go."

"You sure you haven't seen this young lady before," Brass asked, tapping the photo impatiently. "I have a hunch that you need to rethink that statement."

Milton looked Brass in the eye. "I have nothing to hide," he said. "I am telling you I do not know her."

D.B opened his own file. "Did you know that seamen can live up to three days?" he asked, sliding over a DNA printout. "And that all city employees have their DNA in CODIS?"

Brass smacked his hand on the table. "I am going to ask you again," he said loudly. "Who is this girl?"

Milton picked up the photo. "So I had a one night stand," he said. "I don't even remember her name. Judges can still have a life. I am not under oath in my bedroom."

D.B tented his fingers and rested his chin. "You DNA was one of several city employees," he said. "A message to us was also written in blood on our Jane Doe's stomach; in Sara Sidle's blood."

Brass slide a photo of one of the stills Archie printed from the ruined security footage. "We've got the hotel on lock down," he said. "On way or another I am getting to the truth. Who is the man in this photo?"

The Judge held up his hands in defense. "I need a lawyer,'" he replied.

Brass nodded. "Yes you do," he said, waving an officer over. "Because you are under arrest."

~()~

"He's powerful," Ecklie explained. "He'll be out in a few hours and we can't deny him his phone call."

Gil racked his brain. "What if we put a tail on him?" he offered.

Brass looked doubtful. "We can try," he said. "But I am just more concerned about who else he has on his pay roll."

Ecklie looked at Gil. "I am letting you make the call," he said. "I know Sara is important, but I can't figure out what else to do."

Gil rubbed a hand over his face. "Release him," he said. "Brass and I will tail him."

~()~

Before morning, Sara had been able to organize a plan. With a nail, the females had been able to pry the grate off the wall. Since all of them could not act at once, Sara decided that she would be the one to go. It was best if no one assumed the other girls were involved. In the early morning hours, Sara heard a landline ring. Everyone stood still as it was answered.

"What?" Sara heard Thick Beard say.

Sara felt panic and her intuition told her to raise an internal alarm; Had her cry for help been discovered by the wrong people? Had D.B, Brass, and Gil heard her plea?

"What!" Thick Beard thundered. "Get back here. We need to take care of this."

Sara gasped. "On the beds," she instructed the other girls in a hurry. "Don't react to anything. "

Sara pried the grate off the wall and attempted to pry the giant chain off the bed. If she couldn't get it off her ankles then she could take it with her. She heard heavy boots pounding down the hall and the door to The Sleeping room flew open.

"You bitch!" Thick Beard thundered at Sara.

Sara was cornered, she had nowhere to go. Thick Beard grasped her around the neck and Sara struggled to pry his hands away. He walked back with her until she was plastered against a wall. Sara felt his thumbs pressing against her delicate windpipe and knew that he meant to strangle her. She managed to raise one arm and bring it down on his elbow. He loosened slightly and Sara took that small window of time to push him back with her hands and thrust her leg out. She connected with his crotch and felt a satisfying crunch. Quickly she sprang into action and grabbed the chain that secured her to the bed. Without thinking, she wrapped it around the man's throat. Thick Beard attempted to stand up, but Sara put all of her strength into tightening the chain around his neck. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a few of the other girls come to her aid. They all pulled on the chain together and soon the man began to gasp for breath.

"I'll… kill you… all," he said.

Sara kicked the backs of his knees as hard as she could and Thick Beard went down. Soon the other girls, which were within chain length, were helping. Many of the girls held him down and a few of them helped pull the chain that was around the man's neck. Sara could see resentment and months of hate in their eyes. Soon the man went still and Sara loosened the chain. The other girls took their cues from her and did the same.

"I think he's dead," one girl remarked.

Sara nodded. "Better him than us," she said, bending down to pat his pockets.

She found a set of keys and tried each one in the lock around her ankles. When she found the right one and the lock popped open, she smiled with success. She tossed the keys to the girls.

"We're getting out of here," she said.

~()~

Gil and Brass sat in Gil's rental car and waited on the judge to emerge. He had been released after he made his phone call and they knew that he was going to lead them right to Sara if they played their cards right. Gil kept his eye on his watch, time was running out. Finally, the judge emerged and walked hurriedly to his car. They waited until he had started his car and backed out of his parking slot before turning their engine over.

"Keep your distance, Gil," Brass said to his older friend.

There was nothing Gil wanted to do more than to catch up to the man and use his fists to elicit a confession, but getting his revenge would not save his wife. Brass kept an eye on the judge's green BMW with binoculars and gave Gil directions. They wanted to keep more than a safe distance.

"Take a left onto the dirt road," Brass instructed.

"Why do I get the idea that I know where we are headed?" Gil asked.

~()~

Once the other girls were free, Sara opened the door to The Sleeping room and looked both ways. It was still early morning, but it was still dark. The only light she could see came from the corners of the boarded up window in their room. She wasn't sure if Thick Beard worked alone at nights or not, but she wasn't going to chance it.

"It looks clear," Sara said back to the other girls.

She took a tentative step out into the hallway and put her finger to her lips. The other girls nodded and they all walked carefully on the hardwood floor. Sara strained her ears to listen, but heard nothing. They finally entered into a wide room and Sara noticed it as one of the rooms she had been in on her first day.

"Which way is out?" one girl asked.

"We should separate," another suggested.

"No," Sara whispered sharply. "We stay together."

She spotted a gun lying on a small coffee table and assumed that it was Thick Beard's. She ejected the clip, checked it, and slapped it back into place. She looked back at the other girls. Their eyes were wide and most were looking for the way out.

"Do any of you know how to use a gun?" Sara asked.

One girl stepped up. "My dad taught me to hunt," she said. "I can use it."

Sara smiled at her and handed her the gun. "Keep your eyes open."

Sara and the girls walked softly and carefully until they came to a ladder. Sara looked up it and then back at her group.

"I am going up," she said. "Stay here."

She ascended the ladder slowly and when she reached the top, she felt a door with a metal ring. She pushed up and pulled down with all of her might, but nothing happened. She felt around in the dark for a lock, found one, and disengaged it. She pushed up slightly and it opened a crack, but there was something heavy weighing it down. Sara gritted her teeth and pushed up. She heard a deafening crash and below her the girls gasped.

"We should go back?" one said.

Sara did not offer a reply, but instead lifted the door and light flooded inside. She felt as if she was stepping into a portal and it was blinding.

"We're in some kind of basement," Sara said aloud, peeping her head out.

The room that Sara saw was a large, stainless steel kitchen. The thing on top of the door had been a rolling cart that had contained food. She put her hand on the kitchen floor to climb out, but stopped when she saw Mustache stride into the kitchen quickly. The look in his eyes told Sara that he wanted to kill her.

"Go back!" she yelled as she quickly descended.


End file.
